Honor Killing

Although 21st century, an era of modern technology and freedom for many Women but this era still remains in gloom as the concept of “Honor killings” remains unjust.

Many groups in the Rural parts of countries consider the killing of women of their family “honorary” for causes as basic as talking to a stranger or in some cases, even staying absent for a matter of time.

Honor? Is it really an honor to oppress women of her rights?

Definition of Honor Killing

“The homicide of a member of a family due to a belief that a victim has brought shame upon their family is considered “Honor killing” or “Shame killing”

Though just as strange as the definition of honor killing sounds, as ironic is the meaning of “HONOR”

Causes of Honor killing

Denial of Marriage (Arranged)

One of the most common causes of Honor killing is “denial of Arranged Marriage”.

Marriage is one of the most important and beautiful phases of one’s life though the word still remains haunted in many rural areas.

Mostly females in rural parts of the country are forced to marry against their will because of the family’s old custom of “arranged marriage”. Obviously when the family members come to know about her choice and will, they oppress her against the purity of love and force them towards the flawed mindset of arranged marriage. Hence the denial of Marriage unfortunately results in “Honor killing”.

How Ironic.

Dress code

Clothing is one’s own way of fashion and style. It’s really strange how dress code can result in a homicide.

Again women being vulnerable to sexism are more likely to be subjected to Honor killings over a cause as ordinary and simple as dress code than men.

Religious values

Religion stands as the major cause of Honor killings. This doesn’t flaw any religion or makes anyone’s religious values incorrect although some people object these values upon others forcefully which eventually is wrong. Such people are much more likely to serve crimes as religious extremists.

Homosexuality & pre-martial relationships

Homosexuality is one of the major causes of Honor killing as family members can’t stand the fact that their son/daughter is in a “same gender” commitment due to fear of social rejection and shame. Ultimately family members consider “Honor killing” the easiest way out.

Families with strong moral and religious perseverance usually consider pre-martial relationships doomed. Such Families are either very uneducated or backwards or educated but caste oriented. Either way, the issue is not big enough to murder someone you raised from your very own hands.

Factors contributing to Honor Killing

The major factors that contribute to Honor Killing include.

Illiteracy

Backwardness

Extremism

Racism

Flawed mindset and oppression

How is the homicide carried out?

The to-be-victim is usually isolated from family matters before the homicide. The homicide is carried out by family members with mutual consent.

In many families, the boys of family are given the “job” to monitor their sister/other female family member’s behaviour and report to family elders if they notice anything suspicious. Before finally declaring victim a “stain” on family’s respect, a family counsel is sit and the matter is unfold.

This is though as far as racism and women oppression can ever get.

Ways of Homicide

There are various ways of executing the homicide. These include shooting, acid spilling, stoning, burning, stabbing, beating and even beheading.

What’s really disturbing is that sometimes the murder is carried out in public to warn the women within the community of consequences of illicit behaviour.

Racism: women subjected to honor killings!

In 2000, UN estimated that approximately 5000 women were killed each year under the word “honor killings”. Although the number is much higher. Murder is not the only source of honor killing; abduction, mutilations, acid spilling is also considered alternatives to murder as sources of honor killings.

It is suspected that nearly 20,000 women are killed each year due to “Respect issues”.

Honor killing under the observance of Law.

There is no specific law against honor killings because most of the cases are reported as “suicides” or “accidents”. Though we all seek a tough law and punishment for honor “Killers”

A hope?

Why is it that only women are subjected to Honor killings? Are we seriously so inhumane to not realise the importance of women and how much of a role they play in society and in a development of a nation?

Is it so hard to provide a woman her rights and her free will to live her life without any sort of oppression?

We can only hope that the matter unfolds in a better way for the women of today and let’s all seek justice for the victims that have passed away.

Never fail to realise that you were brought into this world by a woman.